Clutch mechanism



Dec. 26, 1933. .1 H. HAND CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed June ll 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEYS Dec. 26, 1933. 1 H HAND 1,94534? CLUTCH MECHANI SM Filed June l, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C/SSS HCZNCNVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 26, 1933 l V1,940,947 d oLU'rcn MEcHANIsM l Jesse H. Hand,l'Chicago, rIll. l applicati@ June` 1,1931. serial No. 541,275

" i s claims. (o1. 19a-11o) My invention relates to clutch mechanism and particularly to that type known as the multiple plate clutch commonly usedlon automotive .vehicles in connection with the transmission of power to the rear wheels. y,

Y An object of myY invention is to facilitate the adjustment of the normal rpressure existing beytvveen the clutch plates when they are in position'to transmit thepower from the engine to the rear Wheels. Due to' the wear of the clutchA plates which occurs rapidlywithsome forms of .traffic driving unsatisfactory operation' of the clutch mechanism results. Usually this condition may be 'remedied by simply" tightening up the clutch, or in other Words, adjusting thel pressure which normally tends to urge the friction plates together. My inventionfpertains to the improvementl and simplification of ythis adjusting means so that it is readily accessible and manipulable. Y

A further object of my invention is to so locate the means which tend to urge the friction plates against one another that the Ypressure Vis distributed more uniformly over the plates, this being in contradistinction to the usual-method of applying the actual pressurecentrally of the plates.v In this' Way I succeeded in obtaining a more evenly distributed pressure through the plates and v'thus a more smooth and flowing actionv of the clutch plates as the clutch is thrown in. The Well known, tendency of automobile clutches to gra 'is largely eliminated through this novel distribution 0f pressure tending. tov cumference. of this camming member is provided urge the plates together.

kFurther objects 'and' meritorious features of my invention will become apparent from the following description and v accompanying rdrawings wherein like figures refer to like partsy throughout the several figures and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through my clutch mechanism,

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.1, v Fig. 3 is a perspective of my driven clutch plate carrier,

Fig. 4 is a perspective of kthe thrustnplate, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of my -driven clutch plates, and I f Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a pair `of segmental clutchplates With the rotatable camming adjustment element removed, and T Fig. '7 is a perspective of myv rotatable camming element.

In the'draWings I have shown my improved clutch mechanism as being utilized to couple the driveshaft of the customary internal combustion engine with the aligned driven shaft. there- Aof. 'I'he vdrive shaft 10 is provided with a ny Wheel 12,* fwithin VWhicha. clutch plater carrier 14 is secured bymeans ofthe bolts 16.', The carrier is provided with a plurality of plate supporting studs 18, each alternate oneof which is provided at its extremity Withy an-inwardly projecting nub 20, the purpose of which Will be brought forth hereafter. These studsserve to slidably .support a series of centrallylapertured clutch plates 22, to the opposite sides of each fofwhich is riveted a lining, or facing 24of friction material. .The driven shaft l26 has the plate carrier`28 keyed thereto, to which is secured a plurality of friction plates l30, (see Fig.

5) rwhich form an interleavingwith the plates 22.

As. is clearly illustratedin Figs. 3 and-4 of the drawings, this driven plate carrier iscast in the shape of `a cross,r each leg of which is centrally apertured to receive a stud 32. lThese studs supportat one extremity a thrustplate 34 andat the K other end a thrust plate 36 (see Fig.4) The studs are headed` overat one end: and provided with nuts 38 atthe other.

Forming a portionof thee-xtreme outer clutch is arplate 40'." Insertedbetween this plate 40 and nubs-20 is the centrally apertured-rotatable camming Vadjustiner'it member 42, which is 'bolted to the said plate by meansv of the nut 44, the bolt thereforv extending through the slot 46 in .the camming memberand being Welded to outer mem.- ber 40. .Asy clearly` illustrated in Fig. 7 the cir- With four flanges 48, each of. Which gradually increases the distance which it projects laterallyof the plane of the member and thus forming a camming surface. The outer peripheryof lthe said member 42 is provided With a plurality of notches correspondin'g'toy the number of nubs provided on the studs 18 and spaced in such a way that the member 42.Y may be slid over the nubs and byV a slight rotation `secured by them toA the clutch assembly.k y y vSplined to the driven shaft 26"V is the thrust bearing 50 which bears-against the nuts 38. 'The springs 52 surround the stud members 32 and are seated on the inner extremities of the driven plate carrier 28 and the thrust plate36, respectively.

Thus, in the-normal position'of the clutch as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, these springs which are spaced radially of the aligned shafts constantly tend to urge the thrust plate 34 to- Wards the driven plate carrier 28 and thus maintain the friction discs in a state of constant compression, whereby the power of the one shaft is transmitted to the other.

When torque is applied to the shaft 54, the arm 56 secured to the said shaft urges the thrust bearing to the left and as a result thereof, the studs 32 function to urge the thrust plate 34 in a similar direction, releasing the'pressure which exists normally betweenlthe clutch plates.v This structure has been described in greater detail inmy copending application, Serial No. l83,150, led September 20, 1930.

As is clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6 .the

segments. This has been done for the puIDQSe of more readily removing the plate, or onesegment thereof at a time, and in this'way securing ready access thereto for the-purpose of'renewing them, or relining them,

It is obvious that the spring membersv 52, which function to provide the pressure normally tending to compress the friction plates, Yare evenly distributed.circumferentially of the clutch plates as well as radially oftheir centerand for thatreason amore even distribution of pressure through them is obtained. j s

The adjustment is accomplished by simply unscrewing the nut 44 sufficiently to permitrotation of the camming member A2 which rotational movement is limited to its useful extent by means of the slot 46. In this manner the normal pressure tendingitocompress the said clutch plates may be increased or decreased at will. This is an 'extremely simple and eiiicient method of remedying the so`called"slipping clutch, and the means provided forV s 'o doing is extremely accessible.

I'have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my device and various other modifie cations will'be apparent to those skilled in the art,

. and for that reason I intend to limit myself only the appending claims.

gagement, and a camming'plate positioned between the outer friction discs and the extremities vof said studs, said camming plate including laterally extending cam portionsadapted to env gage said radiallyextending lugs.

"2. ClutchV mechanism including, in combination, a driving member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced projecting studs secured thereto, friction discs slidably positioned thereby, said studs'including at the outer extremities a projecting lug extending radially inwardly, a driven member positioned within the area vdefined by said studs and including friction discs secured thereto and interleaved with said rst mentioned friction discs, yieldable means normally urging saidV friction discs into frictional engagement, and a camming plate rotatably'positioned between the outer of Said friction Plaie and the extremity of said studs,v said plate lncluding camming means engageable with said radially extending lugs to force said plate axially upon rotation thereof. i

3. Clutch mechanism including, in combination, a driving member having a pluralityy of circumferentially spaced projecting studs secured thereto, friction discs slidably positioned thereby, said'studs including at; the outer extremities a projecting lug extending radially inwardly, a `driven member positioned within the area defined by said studs and including friction discs driving clutch plates 22 have been formed in two "secured thereto and interleaved with said rst fmentioned friction discs, yieldable means normallyl .urging said friction discs into frictional tioned betweenl the outer of said friction plates and the extremity of said studs, said plate including camming means engageable with said radially extending lugs to force said plate axially upon rotation thereof, and means associatedwith the end friction disc and cooperable with said cam plate to limitthe rotary movement Aof the latter. i Y

, 4. Clutch mechanism including,V in combination, a drivingmember having'a plurality of circumferentially spaced projecting studs secured thereto, friction discsl slidably positioned thereby, said studs including at the outer extremitiesY a projecting lug extending'radially inwardly, a driven member positioned Within the area defined by said studs and including friction discs see cured thereto and interleaved with said rst mentioned friction discs, yieldable means normally urging said friction discs into frictional engagement, acamming plate rotatablyV positioned between the outer ofsaid friction platesl and the extremity of said studssaid plate including camming means engageable with said radially extending lugs'to force said plate axially upon rotation thereof, and cooperating means associated with the end friction disc and said cam plate operable to limit V the rotary movement of the latter and xedly position the same withrelationto said friction disc.V

5. In combination with mechanism ofthe class described,a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced studs, projecting lugs extending radially inwardly positioned at the extremity of each of said studs, and a; camming plate positioned within the confines of said studsysaid cammingplate including laterally extending cam faces operable-,against said lugs upon rotation of said plate to varyzthe position thereof axially with respect to said studs.

6. Clutch mechanism including, in combination, a driving member having a plurality of cireY cumferentially spaced projecting studs secured thereto, friction discs slidably positioned thereby, a driven member positioned Vwithin the area defined by said studs and including friction discs secured thereto and interleaved with said vfirst mentioned friction discs, yieldable means nor'- mally urging said friction discs into' frictional engagement, a plate positioned between the outer friction `discs and the extremities of said studs, and means on said plate engageable Vwith said studs for adjusting the engagement of the friction discs.` I i JESSE H. HAND. iis

'iso 

